Authors: Noel Merczel
Immediately, Andrea felt
like a jerk. This guy’s wife died.
DIED
! How
were some stupid Christmas decorations supposed to make him forget a little fact like that?
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
“Hey!” Roger said, tipping her
chin up with his finger. “You have nothing to be sorry about
.
And I think your lights look
very festive.”
They both laughed at that comment since the string of lights was currently laying in a jumbled lump in the middle of Andrea's yard.
"I think you should keep them just like that!" Roger added, being playful.
"I was considering doing that!" Andrea responded in the same playful tone.
"Yea, everyone puts their lights on bushes," Roger continued. "It's so boring."
Oh God!
Andrea thought
.
He touched my face
!
Her chin felt all tingly where his finger had made contact with her skin.
Calm down
! she warned herself
.
You’re going to blow it.
“Seriously, do you want me to help?" he suddenly asked.
“Well...okay!”
Andrea responded, the smile never leaving her face. "Sometimes two people can do a job better. Like making a bed..."
Oh God, she was babbling! Why was she bringing up beds
?
As they arranged the lights on the bushes, Andrea couldn't get over how good Roger looked. She was so glad she was wearing such a cute outfit right now.
Although she worried
that her hair might look a little crazy since it was so windy out.
Self consciously, Andrea patted down her thick honey colored tresses.... which in actuality, and much to the consternation of girls who were more follicle challenged such as Lisa, always looked good no matter what.
After Roger and Andrea finished
getting the lights just right, Roger plugged the strand in. Then they stood back and admired their handiwork.
"It's so beautiful," Andrea sighed.
"Maybe they do look a little better on bushes, after all," Roger agreed
. "I guess that's why
everyone puts them there."
“Would you like to come in and have something to drink?” Andrea suddenly asked.
After all, he did help with the lights...not to mention saving her life.
So it wasn't such a weird question.
It's just that...her parents weren't home, and...
Oh God
!
J
ust like in those fantasies
! Andrea couldn't help but think.
A giant gust of wind almost knocked her down just then, but she barely felt it.
Roger smiled, a slow sexy smile.
“Sure,” he said, as though he was hoping this whole scenario would unfold. “I thought you’d never ask.”
It is kind of ironic that I happened to be putting up Christmas lights just as he was jogging by,
Andrea couldn't help but think
.
Could this be fate?
Or maybe he’s been jogging by my house all along hoping to see me and I just haven’t been outside at the right time?
“Would you like coffee? Or
maybe some cocoa?” Andrea asked, sounding hyper
. “
That’s more Christmasy
. I mean – if you celebrate Christmas!”
Oops! Maybe he’s Jewish, or something else
,
she thought in a panic.
“Whatever you’re having is alright with me,” Roger replied
. “And yea...I celebrate Christmas. Stop being so uptight
, Andrea.”
Oh God, he said my name
! Andrea thought.
She was so happy.
There was so much to look forward to!
What would happen inside the house?
Where should she take him?
Down to the basement?
Was that too weird or....
suggestive
?
Hmmm..
So many possibilities! Just like her life.
She would be an art teacher...and maybe she'd even go to the beach one day...the
real
beach with the
real
ocean....just like a mermaid....
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
As Roger followed Andrea to the door, someone was watching them from behind a particularly tall Arborvitae bush.
That someone was a short stocky middle-aged woman with saggy breasts showcased in a dirty navy blue T-shirt
. T
he woman was sporting a very unflattering buzz cut
.
Her skin had a pinkish hue, dotted with angry red spots and a few
exploding pustules.
Her eyes were milky white, oozing a few cheesy curds in the corners.
She was
drooling.
And h
ungry.
Hungry for flesh
.
Her dark dried chapped lips twisted into a macabre smile.
Her name was Lydia. Or at least it used to be.
What Roger and Andrea did not know; in fact what nobody had yet figured out including the CDC, was that the rabies virus had continued to evolve and mutate and spread..
.
Well, actually the virus could be spread two ways now...by physical contact in the worst possible manner, and by becoming airborne.
The world had been provided with a foreshadowing of the future
.
The world, however had been hoodwinked by a nasty prank... which regrettably, provided the unfortunate ability to mask the real danger.
“Graaaaa…” the woman moaned, staring feverishly with her white soulless eyes as she anticipated ripping off a delicious bite of raw flesh, dripping with fresh blood.
The woman lived alone, so no one really
missed her. Although she
had not shown up for work, everyone just assumed she had taken a sick day and not called in.
One of the woman's employees was thrilled by her boss's absence
.
This particular employee felt that Lydia cramped her style immensely, always asking if she would "please" organize a display or "please" take something into the stock room.
The "please" always sounded super bitchy to this particular employee, whose name was Lisa.
The woman slowly shuffled across Andrea’s yard. When she reached the house, she stopped, suddenly confused.
Where did that delicious flesh go?
It was here a minute ago...
Her hunger was unbearable. She marched up to the house like an automaton.
The door, left unlatched, had blown open in the wind....
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Andrea was flushed with anticipation
as she led Roger down into the basement.
Would he suddenly grab her...
like in her old fantasies?
Or wait...maybe she should she grab him
?
She imagined doing just
that.
No, not grabbing him
there
...that would be way too vulgar!
But maybe she could grab him around the middle and just smile
up into his face.
Let him know how much she liked him...
Then he'd say, in an affectionate way, "What are you doing, flower girl?"
And she'd say, "Oh....nothing...."
Then she'd squeeze him, just a little...
And he'd say, "That feels nice...."
Then she'd feel his erection and snuggle into him...all very innocent like....
Then he'd say, "Andrea...."
"Andrea!" Roger exclaimed, snapping Andrea out of her silly
fantasy. "This is a great basement
.
I mean, it has potential. You really should finish it the right way
. Whoever did this didn't know what he was doing. I mean, if it was your dad, I apologize..."
Roger was pacing around the basement, looking up at the ceiling.
"No, it was this way when we moved here," Andrea told him, dropping her scarf and coat onto the new couch
.
"I could do this in a day," Roger was saying. "I mean, finish this whole basement."
"Is that what you do?" Andrea asked, following Roger over to where he was standing.
It was the same exact spot where
Patty had been standing when she'd been attacked by Mimi. Andrea shook
her head to abolish the horrible memory.
She wondered if Roger was mentally doing the same.
The past was over. This was a brand new beginning!
"I do millwork..." he explained.
When Andrea looked a little blank, Roger added, "You know, woodwork...construction...."
"Oh!" Andrea cried.
"Cool!
There's probably good money in that!"
"You could say so," Roger said, looking down at Andrea's flushed face.
"Not that money is all I care about!" Andrea quickly added, blushing.
"Calm down, Andrea," he told her, sounding strangely affectionate. "Stop worrying about every little thing you say to me, okay?"
Andrea could see the sexual interest registering in his velvety brown
eyes. Women could always
tell when a guy was interested in them
in
that way.
S
he wondered if guys could also tell when a woman was interested....
Probably
, she concluded.
Their gaze met head-on, and once again, Andrea felt it. That electric chemistry; that feeling of pure bliss; of
unearthly headiness....dizzying....surreal...and also, there was something else....something deeper....something she had never put into her daydreams about Roger....
"Andrea...." Roger said.
His voice was thick and husky.
Andrea could hardly breath. She felt like she was
smack dab in the middle of one of her fantasies....
Only, this was real!
She swallowed...hard.
"Oh! Your drink!" she suddenly gasped, blushing
crimson.
"Don't worry about that...." he said, his voice unnaturally husky.
Then he closed in on her, suddenly grabbing Andrea and smashing her against him, lowering his mouth onto hers and kissing her with such urgency....the kiss was aggressive and potent; all-powerful....
Andrea was totally swept away under it's spell.....she only existed for this moment... for this kiss...nothing else in the world mattered.....
She was sure, in some dim recess of her mind, that a kiss like this had never existed before for anyone....
Then they heard it.
Andrea pulled away in horror, gasping. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening!
"Shit!" Roger swore.
They stared at each other as they listened to the soft growling sound emanating from the top of the stairwell...